


Only By Technicality

by Dance_Elle_Dance



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: But it's okay, F/M, Humor, Post-Iron Man 2, Romance, Tony is Inappropriate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-25
Updated: 2015-08-25
Packaged: 2018-04-17 05:23:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4653948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dance_Elle_Dance/pseuds/Dance_Elle_Dance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Technically, we are kind of in a relationship. Shouldn't I be able to look at you while you undress?" Not even Tony Stark could save himself after that. (Originally posted on 5/25/10.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only By Technicality

**Author's Note:**

> Re-post of my second TonyPepper fanfic. I really like these two together and enjoy writing for them. I hope y'all like this!

Naturally, Tony Stark had seen many, many women naked.

The articles in various male-dominated magazines proved that.

He had been with numerous girls, most of which he didn't remember the name of. But, nonetheless, around the world, he was known as a grade-A playboy, just like the magazine that had done an article on him when he was twenty-one.

There was the one girl he had never seen in her skivvies.

Not that he minded. He held a decent amount of respect for Pepper Potts, after all.

He knew that she was polite, well-mannered, but cared fiercely for him and everything else she was passionate about.

One thing he did not know what she was hiding underneath those well-tailored suits. Even the gorgeous dress she wore to the banquet where they had danced didn't show much. But, of course, he had enjoyed seeing the expanse of her slim back, exposed to the fullest in that blue number that he had "gotten" her for her birthday.

But, now, apparently, he had quite an idea.

He had been wandering innocently through the expanse of his mansion, looking for her of course. But right now he couldn't remember why…

He stood in front of her door, which was cracked open just enough so that he could see her reflection in the mirror of her dresser angled in his direction.

His eyes raked greedily over the slender, model-esque form of his live-in assistant/ex-CEO/whatever-she-did. He used to have a cut-and-dry line of what she assisted him with, but now since she was changing jobs faster than he used to change girlfriends - or, rather, one-night-women - he wasn't sure what she did for him any more.

He shook his head, ridding himself of that confusing train of thought. There were more pressing matters at hand, after all.

Pepper stood there, in all her exposed glory, desperately trying to clasp together a cute, polka dotted bra. It was strapless, and obviously she was having trouble. He could see her lips purse as she struggled with it, her eyebrows drawn together over her bright eyes, nose wrinkled in concentration.

His eyes followed the flat of her stomach, down to the waistband of her panties, and then followed to those long, long, _endlessly_ long legs of hers. Tony took it all in, wanting to memorize this, every bit of it, despite what a dog that made him.

She was still struggling with that damn bra…

Pepper pushed it up slightly, causing her breasts to move along with it. He watched, entranced, but then quickly shook himself out of it. For some reason, it felt wrong to ogle Pepper like that, when she had no idea. For some other woman, sure, but Pepper meant more to him than just something to look at.

So, he walked in the room.

She heard his approach and squeaked, turning around, red hair flying about the place. "Tony, what are you _doing_?"

He wasn't so sure himself, but he just gave her one last up-and-down look and a wolfish grin found its place on his handsome face. "Helping."

"Wh-What?"

"Turn around."

"No! Are you _insane_?"

"Just a bit. You've read the articles in _Time_." Tony winked at her and she visibly blushed. He noted that the color spread all the way down to her breasts.

"Yes, but still… _why are you here_?"

"Don't you need help with that?"

"You couldn't have possibly known that was what I needed help with," Pepper said, jostling a bit, and Tony couldn't help but notice that it caused her breasts to move slightly - hey, he was a man after all. Men look at that kind of thing.

"The conveniently placed mirror helped with that." Tony gave her a smirk, jabbing his thumb over to the vanity.

A confused look overtook Pepper's features, and her eyes darted back and forth from the mirror to her boss before she said, "You're disgusting."

"You know you love me," he said nonchalantly. "Now turn around so I can fix your problem."

She turned even redder, but then a realization arose in her eyes. She obviously knew that Tony was a stubborn man, and that he wouldn't leave until she let him do what he wanted to do. So she turned around reluctantly, using her hands to hold the piece of undergarment in place, while Tony took the back of it in his hands, intelligent eyes looking over the hooks.

"Third set, please," Pepper said, trying to fight a sigh as Tony's hand came in contact with her bare back. The touch sent fire licking up and down her body, and she shivered despite herself.

His fingers deftly moved the hooks and clasps together, fastening the bra rather professionally, considering what Pepper knew him to be capable of doing. Though, she knew he had a healthy amount of respect for her, so he wouldn't do that much, not even in this space…

His fingers slipped beneath the strap of the bra, lifted the elastic and then released, letting it pop back into place on her back with an audible snap. She winced and turned around, glaring at him. "What the _hell_?"

"You know me," Tony said, turning around, and admiring the mirror, abruptly changing the subject. "Hm, I'm going to have to thank the interior decorator for cleverly putting this mirror here."

Pepper spun around, Tony could see that in the reflection of the mirror as well and he smirked at her, meeting her eyes.

"You're lucky I haven't _slapped_ you yet!"

"Oh, kinky."

Pepper growled, suddenly embarrassed. "Oh, shut _up_!"

"Technically, we are kind of in a relationship. Shouldn't I be able to look at you while you undress?"

"Wh-What?" Pepper stumbled over her words, her face turning red once again.

"Of course you remember you sticking your tongue down my throat on the roof."

"You…you kissed me _first_!"

"Yes, and it was very nice," Tony said without a shred of shame.

The blush seemed to deepen as Pepper stumbled over word after word, not knowing what to say, until she finally muttered, "Yeah…"

Tony smirked at her as he turned to leave.

"Wh-Where are you going?"

"Retrieving my camera."

" _What?_ "

"Joke." Tony chuckled, turning and looking at her mortified expression. "But I do have to say one thing."

"Yes?" Her voice was breathy, and she felt quite awkward, still half naked in front of _the_ Tony Stark.

"You do know…this is my house, after all." Tony's eyes took on a feral look to them, blazing right through Pepper. "And I can do what I want."

She wasn't sure what to think of this, but his voice was so deep and intimate that it caused involuntary chills to go down her spine. His eyes were penetrating, serious and yet playful at the same time. She couldn't bring herself to look away from him.

"So," he said abruptly, turning his eyes away from her and walking to the door. "I might just take a shower right about now."

His tone held a light suggestiveness to it that Pepper found intriguing.

"And I might just leave the door open…anybody could really come in if they wanted," he pondered in a tone of fake wonderment, before looking back at Pepper pointedly. "I mean, technically, we are in a relationship, after all. So I suppose you should be able to see me undress." He paused. "If you wanted."

_What the hell?_ Pepper thought frantically, hating the warm feeling that was pooling in her stomach, but also loving it at the same time.

Tony gave her a barely perceptible wink before leaving her room altogether, leaving her very red and very embarrassed and very _interested._

She stood there, weighing her options carefully. _To see Tony in the shower or not to see Tony in the shower?_ That was the question.

Slipping her clothes on, she knew her answer. She had work to do after all, papers to sign, things to do…it was hard, working at Stark Industries, after all.

But, well, just a _peek_ wouldn't hurt anything, would it?

Pepper opted for a _no_ , as she gracefully strode down the hallway in the general direction of Tony's bedroom, and to the sound of running shower water.


End file.
